End 1-party rule in White Plains

Jul. 11, 2011

White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach continues to tarnish the halo the media has given him since his accession to mayor in February of this year. First he deliberately schedules the special election for mayor a week before the release date of the budget, so he wouldn't have to discuss the almost 7 percent tax increase (and other fee increases) during the campaign. Then he falsely states there would be no layoffs if the budget was approved.

What happens? Revenues don't measure up and he lays off six union members to help close the anticipated budget gap. He then hires a press relations person at more than $100,000 a year. This was in addition to Mayor Roach hiring his campaign treasurer to be his special assistant at $50,000. But the real injustice of the layoff is that it fell on the Civil Service Employees Association members. Last year, when the city had to close a budget gap, the CSEA gave up the retroactive pay increase they were entitled to when their contract was settled and accepted a salary freeze. So what did they get for their cooperation? Six unemployed members.

I, for one, am glad to see the Republican Party is going to run a full slate of candidates this year. When the Common Council is controlled by one political party, the only effective check and balance on the majority party's belief that it can get away with anything, is to elect a couple of members of the other party.